OCTOBER 23, 2026

No tricks, just a big treat! Presbytery meets

Autumn Presbytery meeting Tuesday at First PC Gastonia

Leaves are changing colors. There is certainly a nip in the air. And you don't have to travel far to find pumpkins for sale. It's definitely fall now. One other sign of autumn: the 148th stated meeting of the Presbytery of Western North Carolina!

We invite you to join us at First Presbyterian Church in Gastonia for the meeting on Tuesday. NOTE: Start time for this meeting is 10 a.m. You've got an extra hour to see the tree leaves on your way to the meeting! Registration opens at 9 a.m. You can also use the extra hour to get to Gastonia in time to meet old friends and make new ones before heading into the sanctuary for a prompt start at 10.

Among the items of business for the day:

First reading of the proposed anti-racism policy for the Presbytery
First reading of a proposed policy concerning harassment
Debate and possible vote on a Disability Inclusion Policy
A vote on the commissioning of a pastor for Brittain Presbyterian Church
A vote on an increase in Presbytery minimum effective salary

Lunch!

We'll take a break from the action around 12:35 for a trip to Fellowship Hall and a spaghetti lunch. Be sure to purchase your tickets to eat when you register: $10 per person.

Once you've had your fill of pasta, salad and dessert, it will be time to return to the sanctuary for the second half of the meeting.

Special features of this meeting include recognition of our retiring Presbytery Co-Associates for the Eastern Neighborhood plus a recognition from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance of one or our own! And there's more! Download the packet for all the details.

Worship will be led by the Rev. Dan Commerford, senior pastor at First Gastonia.

First Gastonia is located on the east side of the city at 1621 E. Garrison Blvd., Gastonia, NC 28054. Plenty of parking is available on all sides of the church. Watch for volunteers to guide you while parking and heading for the building entrances.

PRO TIP: When driving from the east, it's often easier to access the parking lot by turning left at the stoplight on Burtonwood Drive rather than attempting a left turn into the lot from Garrison Boulevard.

DOWNLOAD THE PACKET

Next Hurricane Helene funding round coming up!

Oct. 31 is the next deadline for submitting grant requests to support our neighbors in their disaster recovery, or for church damage, or for volunteer hosting. You can find the funding policy, instructions, and the simple grant request form here: https://www.pwnc-recovery.org/grants

Consider an alternative gift for Christmas

The financial status of Malawi as a country is pretty bleak right now and that includes a lack of medicine at the Nkhoma Hospital (it's true of hospitals across the country).

The Malawi Mission Team for our Presbytery has developed an alternative Christmas gift program for you to help out this year. Download the flyer below. Also below are links to the online donation tool and access to printable inserts to send to friends and family telling them about the programs you donated to in their names. These gift cards may be downloaded from our website.

DONATE

MISSIONS PAGE

COMING UP ON THE CALENDAR

OCT. 27: Presbytery meeting at First Presbyterian of Gastonia

NOV. 2: Examinations Team meeting

NOV. 3: Commission on Ministry meeting

NOV. 3: Peace and Justice Team meeting

NOV. 11: Coordinating Ministry meeting

Help the Presbytery help you!

Yes, it's that time of the year again. We're preparing the Presbytery's budget for 2027 and we need your help.

Last week we sent out the annual call for making your congregation's pledge to your Presbytery via Unified Giving for 2027. If you didn't receive the email or would like to read it again, you can find everything you need right here.

Guatemala Gathering is this Saturday

Are you curious about how you can be involved in our Presbytery's Guatemala Partnership? Join us for our Guatemala Gathering 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville.

Whether you are completely new to the Partnership or if your church has a long-standing relationship with a Guatemalan congregation this event is for you. See the flyer below for details and register here.

Have you ordered your copy yet?

Time to order your copy or copies of the Presbyterian Planning Calendar from the PC(USA) Store.

Just like last year the 2026-2027 calendar uses a two-page-per-month format. The price is $17.95 each for 1-9 copies, decreasing with higher quantities.

Here's the link to the store.

Remember to show your appreciation

October is for more than football games and cruising mountain roads to view fall foliage. It's also Pastor Appreciation Month.

Before all the busyness of Advent comes for your pastor, remember to take time in October to express your thanks to them (but certainly don't limit your appreciation to just one month!).

SAVE THE DATE

GUATEMALA GATHERING Oct. 24 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville

STATED MEETING OF THE PRESBYTERY Oct. 27 at First Presbyterian of Gastonia, 10 a.m.

FALL YOUTH RETREAT Camp Grier, Nov. 14-15

IN OTHER NEWS

Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment approves 2027 GA Divestment/Proscription List

Multisite churches — also known as franchises — are now a staple of American life

AME Church retirees to receive tens of millions more in funds lost amid scandal

What is theological education in the future?

Have a position open? Looking for an open position? Either way, check our our listings.

PWNC Job Listings

Ministries in our Presbytery may submit job postings here.

Music Director at Trinity Presbyterian in Hendersonville

Share Your Good News With Us!

If you have items of interest to share with the Presbytery in the weekly newsletter, please email John Pea. We would also love to receive pictures of your congregation in action to share in this weekly update!

(Event information should be sent electronically, preferably with an image, 10 days in advance, for inclusion in the following week's distribution. Submissions may be edited for brevity. The General Presbyter or Stated Clerk will make final decisions about what may be included.)

The e-news publication goes out each Friday to members across the Presbytery. We look forward to sharing your good news!